Opened in October 2013, The Wollongong Homeless Hub is a one-stop-shop for homelessness resources.
Clients are able to access multiple agencies from a single point. Computers, photocopiers, fax machines and telephones are offered free of charge to people accessing services. Community engagement officers are available for support and other support services are also available to clients.
The homeless hub is located at 75 - 79 Keira Street Wollongong and can be called on (02) 4228 0955
Wollongong Homeless Hub has developed a number of ongoing projects including, Community Mover’s, the first purpose built shower and laundry and Breakfast Program, these programs run from the one location to help further support the homeless.
Wollongong Homeless Hub (WHH), is a specialist homelessness service that provides support, information, referral and advocacy to homeless people or those at risk of homelessness.
WHH helps and supports many different client groups including people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Indigenous, refugees, new settlement, youth and those who have considerable barriers to obtaining private housing such as women and children fleeing domestic violence, single parent families, those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, those living with mental health.
The Wollongong Homeless Hub provides a unique service for their clients, which includes:
- Face-to-face and telephone support so people in crisis can get seamless, integrated assistance and access to the most appropriate service to meet their needs.
- We provide access to funded homelessness, health, legal, housing, financial, advocacy and support services in Wollongong, to give a true service of integration and holistic outcomes for people at risk.
- Referrals to appropriate services to help prevent client fatigue and having to repeatedly tell their story.
- Clients can access multiple agencies from a single point including Centrelink, Illawarra Legal Centre, Murra Mia, Women’s Health and other services at various times at the Hub.
- Our service provides a purpose built shower and laundry for homeless people of all ages.
- We provide a hot breakfast Monday to Friday for rough sleepers and people in temporary accommodation.
- Assistance with searching for private rentals, including access to computers, photocopier, telephones, fax and email free of charge.
- Free clothing and manchester market days through the year.
- Culturally specific workers will be available at regular times.
- Referral and advocacy.
Our Shower and Laundry program is for homeless people of all ages in the Illawarra. The shower and laundry was built due to the need for having a resource so that people who have hit hard times are able to wash and clean the little clothes they have. It gives people back their dignity.
Community Movers was established at the end of 2014 as an initiative of Wollongong Emergency Family Housing to help fund the self-sustainability of Wollongong Homeless Hub. 100% of profits from this program go directly to fund the Homeless Hub.
Community Movers is a low-cost removalist service to help those who are forced to constantly move in and out of accommodation. This service is offered to people working with other community agencies, it is also used as an employment training initiative for long term unemployed. A mentor works with an individual and provides on the job training.
The service includes:
- Pickup and deliver from the Illawarra and Statewide
- 1 hour minimum per job
- Small and large jobs
Community Movers Guide and Forms
- Community Movers Home Guide
- Community Movers Inventory Form
- Community Movers Personal Information Form
- Community Movers Feedback Form
For more information please contact our Community Movers Coordinator on 02 4228 0955 . Our service is located at 75 - 79 Keira Street, Wollongong.
Our Breakfast Program operates Monday to Friday 9am – 10am. This program targets those who are sleeping rough or those in temporary housing. This program gives staff an opportunity to interact and engage with people who would not generally approach support services. We then link these clients with other support networks to address areas such as mental health, general health, and housing needs, enable access to showers and address hygiene issues, access to washing facilities and other basic needs. The program runs through the kindness and generosity of our volunteers and people in the Illawarra region donating bread, milk and no perishable food.
When available, we offer 'rough-sleeper' kits, toiletry and food packages.